This Week in SABR: January 9, 2026
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, January 9, 2026.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
Announcing featured speakers at SABR Analytics Conference
Coming soon: Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program
Negro Leagues executives added to SABR MLB Team Employee Database
Pat Filippone appointed as Treasurer of SABR Board of Directors
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal in 2026
Apply for a SABR Local Grant in 2026
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Featured speakers announced for 2026 SABR Analytics Conference
We’re just a few weeks away from the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference in Phoenix, Arizona! Sign up today to hear from top speakers in the baseball industry. Our featured speakers and panelists will include:
- David Adler, Senior Coordinator for Data and Research at MLB.com
- Derek Carty, writer, podcaster, and creator of THE BAT X projection system
- Jason Collette, columnist at Rotowire
- Vince Gennaro, former President of SABR’s Board of Directors
- Eno Sarris, staff writer for The Athletic
In addition, Doug Fearing, Chief Data Officer at Teamworks, will be the keynote speaker at the SABR Analytics Conference. Stay tuned for more updates soon about our featured speakers and panelists.
Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
Register now to join us at SABR Analytics Conference
Early registration is now open for the SABR Analytics Conference, which will be held in person from February 27-March 1, 2026, at the Beus Center for Law and Society on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus in Phoenix, Arizona.
We’ll bring together the top minds in the baseball analytics community to discuss, debate, and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball. Register today to join us!
- Registration: Click here to register for the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference. Early-bird registration is $395 for SABR members, $495 for non-members, and $150 for currently enrolled high school or college students. Student-only virtual registration is $50. Students should email Scott Carter with a photo of their student ID to receive the discounted registration link.
- Student Registration: Students should email Scott Carter with a photo of their student ID to receive a special link to register at a discounted rate. Students have the option of choosing virtual ($50) or in-person ($150) registration. Both include access to General Session panels and presentations on Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1, and a student-only virtual session on Thursday, February 26. All student registrations also include a one-year SABR membership ($25 value) and a complimentary Rapsodo Certified Course ($395 value). SABR membership will be fulfilled after event sign-up and access to Rapsodo course will be delivered after the conference.
- Diamond Dollars Case Competition: Click here to register your team for the 2026 Diamond Dollars Case Competition. Registration is $1,750 per team, which includes admission to all SABR Analytics Conference sessions and a one-year SABR membership for each participant. Chaperones and advisors looking to attend the conference should register themselves separately here.
- Research Presentations, presented by Teamworks Intelligence: Stay tuned for more details on the 2026 schedule of research presentations.
- Certification Courses: The first three courses in the online, on-demand SABR Analytics Certification program, including the newest offering Level Three – Introduction to Baseball Programming, are available now. Click here to learn more or to sign up.
Coming soon: Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program
We’re excited to announce that in the coming weeks, we will introduce the newest course in the SABR Analytics Certification program, Level Four – Applied Statistics for Baseball. The new course is instructed by Rob Arthur, SABR member and data scientist who has consulted for three MLB teams, nonprofits, law firms, and a Fortune 500 company.
SABR’s first three certification courses, Level One – Conversational Analytics and Critical Thinking in Baseball; Level Two – Advanced Analytics in Baseball; and Level Three – Introduction to Baseball Programming; are available online now.
To sign up to be notified as soon as Level Four is available, or to learn more about previous courses, visit SABR.org/analytics/certification.
Negro Leagues executives added to SABR MLB Team Employee Database
SABR’s historical database of Major League Baseball team employees has been recently updated to include entries from the 2025 season and to add new entries for more than 250 people employed by major and independent Negro Leagues teams. The SABR MLB Team Employee Database, published through SABR’s Business of Baseball Committee, offers a unique lens into major league front and back offices, from team owners to ticket sales.
The MLB Team Employee Database is available for viewing to all SABR members on the Research Resources page. Browse or search by person, team, or season to learn more about the scope of baseball and business operations. All Negro Leagues information was provided by Seamheads.com.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal in 2026
In 2026, all SABR members exclusively receive the Baseball Research Journal electronically twice a year. The Spring 2026 issue will be sent out in April. However, if you are interested in a paperback copy of BRJ for your personal library, we have rolled out a subscription option at a significantly discounted rate: $7 per issue for members, compared to $19.95 at retail.
- To subscribe and receive a printed edition of BRJ, visit SABR.org/subscribe
(If you have any questions about your subscription, please email brjsubscribe@sabr.org.)
Click here for a short video on how to subscribe to printed copies of BRJ.
Registration now open for 2026 Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference
Registration is now open for the 17th annual SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference, which will be held on April 24-25, 2026, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. All baseball fans are welcome to register for this special event.
- Registration: Click here to register online.
- Schedule: Click here to view the complete schedule for the 2026 Ivor-Campbell Conference.
- Research Presentations: Click here for research presentation abstracts.
The 2026 conference will be highlighted by a keynote address from author Bruce Allardice, along with a panel discussion on the evolution of early playing fields with Irwin Chusid, Thomas Gilbert, Jonathan Popovich, and moderator Bill Ryczek; a 19th-century artifact session with Robert Mayer, Gary Passamonte, and Jonathan Popovich; a Member Spotlight interview of Herm Krabbenhoft by Dave Newman; plus research presentations.
Visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c for more information.
Call for papers: 2026 SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee will host the 26th annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference on June 18-21, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to two days of research presentations and player/author panels, attendees will also enjoy special presentations connected to our theme of “Black Baseball in the Land of the Delta Blues” and the city of Memphis.
This interdisciplinary conference welcomes proposals for oral and poster presentations from all research fields. Previous presenters have included college faculty, public school teachers, graduate students, and independent scholars. Presentations may focus on any topic related to the theme, or other Black baseball topics.
Please email your proposal as a Word attachment to Dr. Leslie Heaphy before March 2, 2026.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Apply for a SABR Local Grant in 2026
The SABR Local Grants program provides an opportunity for chapters, research committees, and chartered communities to apply for funding for their projects under SABR’s Four Pillars: Research, Scholarship, Preservation, and Future of the Game. Applications are now open for a 2026 SABR Local Grant at SABR.org/local-grants. Submissions will be accepted until February 20, 2026.
All SABR chapters, chartered communities, and research committees are eligible to apply. Individual SABR members and non-SABR groups are not eligible, so if you have an individual idea for a program grant, please follow up with your local chapter leadership or appropriate research committee to discuss an application.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
- Related link: Check out a new video by Jon Leonoudakis on the restoration of Lefty O’Doul’s grave marker in California, a 2025 Local Grant recipient
Join us for upcoming SABR Day events in January
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, January 31, 2026, when we will hold our annual SABR Day celebration! SABR Day is a way for all baseball fans to come together, regardless of where they live, and talk about the game we all love.
Regional chapters are also encouraged to plan their own SABR Day events (virtually or in person) throughout the months of January or February to celebrate the start of a new baseball season.
Chapter leaders, please email Jacob Pomrenke as you finalize your SABR Day plans so we can update our comprehensive schedule of events at SABR.org/sabrday.
- Rogers Hornsby Chapter winter meeting: On Saturday, January 10, the Rogers Hornsby Chapter in Central Texas will host its annual SABR Day event at Texas State University in San Marcos. Former MLB infielder Keith Moreland and longtime minor league broadcaster Mike Capps will speak. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Click here to RSVP and find the complete schedule.
SABR appoints Pat Filippone as Treasurer of Board of Directors
Following the appointment of Dan Levitt as President, the SABR Board of Directors has appointed Pat Filippone to complete the rest of the Treasurer’s term, which concludes following the Annual Business Meeting in 2026. The SABR By-Laws provide for any vacancy to be filled within 60 days by a two-thirds vote of the remaining members of the Board.
Filippone, of Stockton, California, is President of 7th Inning Stretch, LLC, which owns and operates three affiliated Minor League Baseball teams: the Stockton Ports, the Delmarva Shorebirds, and the Everett AquaSox. He has served as President of the Stockton Ports since 2006 and has spent more than three decades as an executive in Minor League Baseball.
A call for nominations for the 2026 Board of Directors election will be announced in early March.
Writing Opportunities: 2002 Angels book project
A new SABR book project about the 2002 Anaheim Angels, scheduled for publication in 2027 for the 25th anniversary of their World Series championship, seeks authors for a few articles, including game stories, essays about the season, and more than a dozen player and broadcaster biographies.
If you are interested in contributing, or want to learn more, please contact Bill Nowlin.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
7 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- April 14, 1925: Urban Shocker, Yankees open season with win over defending champion Nationals, by Gary Sarnoff
- June 3, 1950: Red Sox score six runs in the first inning again, but more were needed, by Bill Nowlin
- August 10, 1955: Don Larsen pitches his way out of Casey Stengel’s doghouse in 13-inning win over Red Sox, by Charlie Grassl
- July 14, 1968: Billy Williams’ grand slam sends Pirates to ninth straight loss, by Stephen Bratkovich
- July 14, 1977: Gene Locklear hits four home runs for Syracuse Chiefs, barely misses a fifth, by Kurt Blumenau
- April 16, 1983: Expos’ Charlie Lea falls four outs short of a second no-hitter, by Gary Belleville
- August 30, 1989: José DeLeón’s tremendous effort wasted as Reds top Cardinals, by Ken Carrano
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Native American Major Leaguers
Edited by Rob Daugherty and Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition of all Digital Library books.
Here are some SABR headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- Save the date! SABR 54 will be in Cleveland in 2026
- Read articles from the Fall 2025 Baseball Research Journal online
- Gary, Vicki Gillette make gift to support Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference through 2030
- Dan Levitt appointed as President of Board of Directors
- SABR welcomes new Town Ball research committee
- Learn more about new SABR Institutional Memberships
- Negro Leagues statistics added to SABR Lahman Baseball Database
- Read SABR biographies of 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame candidates
- View a collection of nearly 100,000 player surveys in the new Weiss Baseball Questionnaires collection
- SABR Digital Library: Stan Musial
- Hundreds of ProQuest US newspapers added to SABR Research Resources
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the SABR Store @ CafePress
Please give a warm welcome to all new SABR members who joined this week! View more Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org or click here to download the Membership Handbook. Find contact information for any SABR member in the online Membership Directory.
| NAME | HOMETOWN | NAME | HOMETOWN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Ashendorf | Westford, MA | Jerrold Kuntz | Warwick, NY | ||
| Eileen Bissen | San Mateo, CA | Jeffrey Moore | Waltham, MA | ||
| Andrew Brown | Pearl River, NY | Lilly Newlin | Austin, TX | ||
| Kenneth Cherryhomes | Carlsbad, CA | Frank Niemann | Metairie, LA | ||
| Sean Dermody | Charlottesville, VA | John Ore | Tempe, AZ | ||
| Tyler Deutsch | Yorkville, IL | Jonathan Passy | Kitchener, ON | ||
| Evan Eckert | Temple, TX | Will Peacock | Phoenix, AZ | ||
| Eric Eckert | Temple, TX | Aaron Peterson | Midvale, UT | ||
| Gregg Foresman | Bartlesville, OK | Boston Public Library | Boston, MA | ||
| Lisa Frehill | Herndon, VA | Alex Shaver | Spring, TX | ||
| Mike Fuller | Perry Hall, MD | Joshua Siva | Highland Park, IL | ||
| Tony Gherardini | Centennial, CO | Anthony Stone | Phoenix, AZ | ||
| Dan Hirshberg | Washington, NJ | Robert Toomey | Tempe, AZ | ||
| Jenny Ingram | Washington, DC | Ryan Wintle | Phoenix, AZ | ||
| Noah Kastroll | Zelienople, PA | Greg Yurkovic | Malvern, PA |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from former New York Mets public relations executive Jay Horwitz (Mr. Met); Jeff Katz (“What to Expect When Selling Your Baseball Card Collection”); R.J. Lesch (“The Giants in Marlin, Texas: 1908-18”); and Marshall Garvey (Interstate ’85). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- January 10: Bob Davids (DC) Chapter Talkin’ Baseball with Jay Jaffe (10:00 a.m. EST)
- January 10: Wahoo Sam Crawford (NE) Chapter meeting with Karl Green (8:00 p.m. EST)
- January 12: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Steve Rennie (7:00 p.m. EST)
- January 13: 19th Century Speaker Series: Jack Bales (8:00 p.m. EST)
- January 14: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with David Firstman (7:00 p.m. EST)
- January 14: New SABR Member Experience Meeting (8:00 p.m. EST)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- January 10: Halsey Hall Chapter Hot Stove Saturday Morning (Minneapolis, MN)
- January 10: Rogers Hornsby Chapter SABR Day meeting (San Marcos, TX)
- January 10: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter meeting (Baltimore, MD)
- January 10: Ken Keltner Badger State Chapter holiday gathering (Milwaukee, WI)
- January 12: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter meeting (St. Louis, MO)
- January 15: Magnolia Chapter meeting (Sandy Springs, GA)
- January 17: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- January 17: Magnolia Chapter SABR Day event (Dunwoody, GA)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Biographical Research: December 2025 newsletter
- Games and Simulations: All SABR members are invited to participate in a weekly transaction Fantasy Baseball 5×5 league in 2026. Click here to learn more, including league rules and additional information. Limited availability. Contact Derek Bain or Jack Snyder if you are interested.
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Ken Keltner Badger State Chapter: January 2026 newsletter (Milwaukee, WI)
Sign up for SABR chapter announcements at SABR.org/chapters.
Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- Jon Caroulis: Diamond Queens: Leslie Heaphy (Ball Nine)
- Joshua Rodrigues: Under the Hood of The Aging Hitter (Baseball Prospectus)
- Will Sammon/Eno Sarris: Tommy Pham makes his case for MLB’s next big metric: He calls it PhamGraphs (The Athletic)
- Davy Andrews: Welcome to PhamGraphs (FanGraphs)
- Ben Clemens: Hitters Keep Getting Younger. Pitchers Stay The Same Age. (FanGraphs)
- Rob Mains: The 2025 Season in Inequality (Baseball Prospectus)
- Scott Merkin: Venable’s senior thesis could be a boon to connect with Murakami (MLB.com)
- John Thorn: A Pictorial Retrospective of Baseball: 1865 (Our Game)
- Ray Nickson: How baseball helped shape Japanese migrants’ experiences during the White Australia policy (The Conversation)
- David Laurila: Let’s Hear About Four Prominent Minnesota Twins Prospects (FanGraphs)
- Daniel R. Epstein: The Braves Built the Ballpark Model that Squanders Your Tax Dollars (Baseball Prospectus)
- Tyler Kepner: How Chase Utley’s surging support reflects an evolution in Hall of Fame voting (The Athletic)
- Jay Jaffe: JAWS and the 2026 Hall of Fame Ballot: Hunter Pence (FanGraphs)
- Derrick Goold: As 2026 arrives, an all-time Cardinals’ 26-man roster picked from 1st 26 seasons of 2000s (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Mark Rucker: Holy Smokes, Batmen! A vexingly odd image (Our Game)
- Gary Cieradkowski: Which Willard Brown? (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- Gary Ashwill: The Death of Tom Finley (Agate Type)
- Ryan Whirty: Legendary writer Haskell Cohen connects Jews with Black baseball (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Mark Tomasik: How Alfredo Cabrera went from Canarian to Cardinal (RetroSimba)
- Joe Edinger: Chuck Klein and Dick Bartell: The Phillies’ First All-Stars (The Good Phight)
- Matt Ostrowski: Chronicling the 1918 Cubs: Les Mann’s Remarkable Baseball Legacy (North Side Baseball)
- Sylas K. Barrett: Baseball, Bene Gesserit, and the Maidens of the Spear (Reactor Magazine)
- Mark Kolier: Driving across the USA thinking about baseball (Almost Cooperstown)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with with Bill Chuck and Scott Crawford (Baseball and BBQ)
- Greg Phegley: Joe Nuxhall: The Ol’ Left-Hander, A Cincinnati Icon (SABR Landmarks)
- Rob Fitts: Interview with Michael Meyer of ProEyeKyuu (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Jerry Chen: Manny Ramírez Saved Taiwanese Baseball (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Rob Fitts: Joe DiMaggio’s Last Hurrah: The 1951 Lefty O’Doul All-Star Tour (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Jason Schwartz: In Pursuit of Penance (SABR Baseball Cards)
- Jeff Katz: Mr. October in April, or May, or August (SABR Pictorial History)
Please note: Some articles may require a separate subscription to view online. SABR does not endorse, and is not responsible or liable for, any content that appears on a third-party website.
This Week in SABR is compiled by Jacob Pomrenke. If you would like us to include an upcoming event, article, or any other information in “This Week in SABR,” e-mail jpomrenke@sabr.org. To find past editions of TWIS, click here.
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Originally published: January 9, 2026. Last Updated: January 9, 2026.